Celebrate Shelter Pets Day, commemorated on the first Thursday after Thanksgiving, falls on December 5th this year. This heartwarming event has a rich history of bringing attention to the countless dogs and cats in shelters waiting for their forever homes. Today, we’re participating in Celebrate Shelter Pets Day in the CT Shoreline by encouraging you to donate to our shelters as part of Giving Tuesday, among other things!
The Origins of Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
Launched in 2010, Celebrate Shelter Pets Day was a collaborative effort between the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Maddie’s Fund. What began as “Shelter Pets Take Over Facebook Day” has since evolved into a multi-platform celebration, showcasing the joy and love that shelter pets bring to their adoptive families.
The HSUS, founded in 1954, has been at the forefront of animal welfare advocacy for decades. Their involvement in this initiative underscores their commitment to finding homes for shelter animals. Maddie’s Fund, established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield, has been instrumental in supporting projects that keep pets and people together.
The Growing Impact of Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
Over the years, Celebrate Shelter Pets Day has grown significantly. From its humble beginnings on Facebook, it now spans various social media platforms, with hundreds of pets and their owners participating annually[2]. This growth reflects the increasing awareness and support for shelter pet adoption.
How to Participate in Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
Celebrating shelter pets can take many forms:
1. Share your shelter pet’s story on social media – before and after photos are a great way to showcase the amazing transformations shelter pets make once they find a stable, loving environment in which to thrive!
2. Volunteer at a local animal shelter
3. Donate supplies or funds to support shelter operations
4. Consider fostering or adopting a shelter pet to make room for more pets’ lives to be saved – remember that shelters don’t only take in cats and dogs, they also take in small animals that are often quite easy to care for
Connecticut Shoreline Animal Shelters
Because we believe in supporting local organizations at every opportunity, we encourage you to consider donating to the following organizations this Giving Tuesday, which is also celebrated this week!
- Connecticut Humane Society
- Forgotten Felines in Westbrook
- Valley Shore Animal Welfare League in Westbrook
- Waterford-East Lyme Animal Shelter
- Old Lyme Animal Shelter
Supporting Connecticut Shoreline Shelters
As we celebrate the 14th anniversary of Celebrate Shelter Pets Day in 2024, it’s clear that this initiative has made a lasting impact on animal welfare awareness. By continuing to support shelter pets in the Connecticut Shoreline through adoption, fostering, and donations, we can ensure that more animals find loving homes.
As Giving Tuesday approaches, consider making a monetary donation to our local shelters. Your contribution can help provide food, medical care, and comfort to animals awaiting their forever homes. They rely heavily on donations to support their adoption programs, medical care for pets, and community outreach.
Let’s make this Celebrate Shelter Pets Day and Giving Tuesday a time of hope and new beginnings for shelter pets across the Connecticut Shoreline and beyond!
Connecticut Shoreline Dog Walkers & Cat Sitters
At Shoreline Happy Paws, we are passionate about keeping our support local when sourcing materials for dog walks and pet sits, participating in fundraisers, and referring clients for pet-related services. By keeping our support local, we believe we can elevate the pet-loving community together, supporting the pets that most need us and the organizations that are dedicated to their well-being.
We are accepting new dog walking and hiking clients! We are also accepting new cat sitting clients! New Shoreline Happy Paws clients can create an account. We will be in touch to further discuss your needs and set you, your family, and your cat(s) up for success. Existing clients may book services by logging in to your client profile.
Shoreline Happy Paws serves the following areas of the Connecticut Shoreline:
- Old Saybrook
- Essex, Ivoryton & Centerbrook
- Deep River
- Chester
- Westbrook
- Clinton
- Old Lyme
- East Lyme
- Niantic
Certain Parts and Certain Service Hours in:
- Lyme and Madison
- Waterford, New London, Groton
- Uncasville, Gales Ferry, Mystic, Noank
